About St. Patrick · Shieldsville, Minnesota
Church of St. Patrick in Shieldsville, Minnesota is a small Roman Catholic parish serving an unincorporated community in Rice County, southwest of Faribault. It is the oldest Irish Catholic parish in Rice County and the second oldest Irish Catholic parish in the state of Minnesota, founded by Irish immigrants in the 1850s on land promoted by General James Shields. Today the parish is clustered with Church of the Most Holy Redeemer in Montgomery and Church of St. Canice in Kilkenny, gathering for Sunday Mass at 10:30 AM, a Tuesday morning weekday Mass, Tuesday confession and Eucharistic Adoration, and a calendar of beloved annual events that keeps its Irish Catholic heritage very much alive.
- Established
- 1855
- Patron
- St. Patrick
- Rector
- Fr. Timothy Sandquist
- Diocese
- Archdiocese of Saint Paul and Minneapolis
Why belong here
St. Patrick is a small, close-knit parish with deep Irish Catholic roots and a strong sense of community that has carried it through more than 160 years — including a lightning-strike fire in 2002 and the joyful rebuilding that followed. Members worship in a modern 450-seat church and social hall dedicated in 2004, gather for a Sunday Mass and a Tuesday morning weekday Mass with Eucharistic Adoration, and stay connected year-round through a Faith Formation program, a Ladies Choir, and beloved annual traditions like the St. Patrick's Day Celebration, Fall Festival with Polka Mass, Grand Party, Ladies Choir Summer Concert, and Holiday Open House. For Catholics in Shieldsville, Faribault, and the surrounding Rice County countryside, it is a parish where history, faith, and neighborly life all meet on Dodd Road.
Mass times at St. Patrick
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Tuesday 9:00 AM – 10:00 AM (St. Patrick, Shieldsville)
Adoration times
- Tuesday 9:00 AM – 1:00 PM (St. Patrick, Shieldsville)
Parish Overview & Identity
Church of St. Patrick is a small Roman Catholic parish in the unincorporated community of Shieldsville, Rice County, Minnesota, belonging to the Archdiocese of Saint Paul and Minneapolis. The parish is clustered with Church of the Most Holy Redeemer (206 Vine Ave W, Montgomery, MN 56069) and Church of St. Canice (183 Maple St, Kilkenny, MN 56052), sharing clergy and a coordinated schedule of Masses, confessions, and Eucharistic Adoration across the three churches. The mailing address is 7525 Dodd Road, Faribault, MN 55021, and the parish office can be reached at 507-334-6002 or [email protected].
- Cluster parish: Most Holy Redeemer, Montgomery, MN
- Cluster parish: St. Canice, Kilkenny, MN
- Address: 7525 Dodd Road, Faribault, MN 55021
- Phone: 507-334-6002
- Email: [email protected]
History of St. Patrick
Shieldsville was platted in 1856 and named for General James Shields, who worked to draw Irish immigrants to the area by offering land at $2 per acre. Mission priest Fr. Augustine Ravoux said the first Mass in 1855, and in 1856 Bishop Joseph Cretin directed the community to build a church on Dodd Road. Each man hauled his allotted logs to a sawmill on Lake Mazaska, and carpenters from St. Paul erected the wood church for $800. By 1858 the Irish congregation had been joined by Canadian, Belgian, and French settlers.
- 1855 — First Mass offered by Fr. Augustine Ravoux
- 1856 — First church built on Dodd Road (logs hauled to Lake Mazaska sawmill; built by St. Paul carpenters for $800)
- By 1858 — Irish community joined by Canadian, Belgian, and French settlers
- 1888 — Stone church struck by lightning in April; repaired and reopened for Christmas Day Mass; bell and walls of the original retained
Rebuilding After the 2002 Fire
On July 29, 2002, St. Patrick was struck by lightning for the second time in its history and the church was totally destroyed. Parishioners worshipped in the circa-1910 parish hall — which had once hosted Saturday night dances, Ladies' Rosary Society card parties, St. Patrick's Day plays, and an annual chicken and bazaar — while planning and construction continued for two years. The new church and hall were dedicated on August 1, 2004, with more than 900 people in attendance. The new facility houses a church seating 450, a social hall accommodating up to 400, six classrooms, and two offices.
- July 29, 2002 — Lightning destroys the church for the second time in its history
- Parish worshipped in the circa-1910 parish hall during reconstruction
- August 1, 2004 — New church and hall dedicated before 900+ attendees
- Current facility: 450-seat church, 400-seat social hall, 6 classrooms, 2 offices
Parish Staff & Clergy
The parish is led by Fr. Timothy Sandquist and supported by a small lay staff handling administration, finances, and faith formation. The website also thanks 'Fr. Tom' for his service to the parish as the prior pastor.
- Pastor: Fr. Timothy Sandquist — 507-334-6002
- Administrative Assistant: Sue McDonough — [email protected]
- Bookkeeper: Arleen Roberts — [email protected]
- Faith Formation / Safe Environment Coordinator: Heather Richardson — [email protected]
Faith Formation & Religious Education
Faith Formation and Safe Environment coordination for St. Patrick is led by Heather Richardson. The new church building includes six classrooms, which support the parish's religious education and sacramental preparation programs. Families interested in faith formation, First Communion, Confirmation preparation, or Safe Environment training can contact the parish office.
- Faith Formation Coordinator: Heather Richardson ([email protected])
- Safe Environment Coordinator: Heather Richardson
- Six dedicated classrooms in the parish facility
- Contact: 507-334-6002
Ministries & Community Life
St. Patrick's community life centers on its long-standing Irish Catholic heritage and a small set of active ministries. The Ladies' Rosary Society has been part of the parish since at least the early 20th century, and the Ladies Choir continues that tradition with an annual Summer Concert. The parish also runs a Fall Festival, a St. Patrick's Day Celebration, a Grand Party, and a Holiday Open House that bring parishioners and the wider Shieldsville community together throughout the year.
- Ladies' Rosary Society (historical parish society)
- Ladies Choir with annual Summer Concert
- Fall Festival committee
- St. Patrick's Day Celebration committee
- Grand Party
- Holiday Open House
Annual Events
The parish maintains a busy annual calendar rooted in its Irish Catholic identity. The Fall Festival typically opens with a 10 AM Polka Mass and features a country-style lunch (pulled pork, brats, hot dogs, baked beans, coleslaw, sauerkraut, and cookies), live music from the St. Wenceslaus Polka Music Group, a kids pedal pull, minnow races, a country store, a beer garden, and a raffle offering roughly $4,000 in prizes. The St. Patrick's Day Celebration has been running for 18+ years and begins with Mass, followed by a homemade lunch of Mulligan Stew, coleslaw, Irish soda bread, and dessert, often accompanied by Irish music. The town of Shieldsville also holds a community Fall Festival each September 29.
- St. Patrick's Day Celebration (18+ years; Mass + Mulligan Stew lunch + Irish music)
- Fall Festival (Polka Mass, polka band, kids pedal pull, minnow races, country store, beer garden, raffle)
- Grand Party
- Ladies Choir Summer Concert
- Holiday Open House
Sacraments & Devotions
The parish offers the Sunday Eucharist and a weekly Tuesday morning Mass, weekly Reconciliation and Eucharistic Adoration on Tuesdays, and Sacramental preparation through the Faith Formation program. Daily Masses, Saturday Vigil, and additional confession/adoration times are provided by the cluster parishes Most Holy Redeemer and St. Canice.
- Sunday Mass — 10:30 AM at St. Patrick
- Tuesday Daily Mass — 8:30 AM at St. Patrick
- Confession — Tuesday 9:00–10:00 AM at St. Patrick
- Eucharistic Adoration — Tuesday 9:00 AM–1:00 PM at St. Patrick
- Sacramental preparation via Faith Formation (Heather Richardson)
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Fr. Augustine Ravoux1855–
Mission priest who offered the first Mass in Shieldsville in 1855 and served the Irish settlement in its earliest years.
- Fr. Tomthrough 2024
Honored on the parish website with 'Thank you for Fr. Tom for all you have done for us. Good Luck on your next adventure' alongside the current pastor announcement.
- Fr. Timothy Sandquist2024–
Current pastor listed on the parish website, serving the St. Patrick / Most Holy Redeemer / St. Canice cluster.